Manly, from a roofer's point of view
Salt from both directions
The ocean beach runs from Queenscliff through North Steyne to South Steyne. On the harbour side are Manly Cove, Little Manly and Fairlight Beach. The Pacific is to the east and North Harbour to the south-west, and Manly's listed elevation is about 12 metres.
A resort town first
Henry Gilbert Smith planned Manly as a seaside resort in the 1850s and had a harbour wharf finished in 1855. Through the 19th and early 20th centuries it was one of Australia's most popular holiday spots.
Mostly apartments
At the 2021 Census, 76.8% of occupied homes were flats or apartments, 11.5% were semis, terraces or townhouses and 11.3% were separate houses. Just over half (51.4%) were rented.
Two conservation areas
The Manly Town Centre and Pittwater Road Heritage Conservation Areas sit under the Manly Local Environmental Plan 2013, and their boundaries were redrawn in 2015 to take in whole properties.
Norfolk Island pines
The pines are Manly's symbol and line both the ocean and harbour beaches. Canopy across the suburb is moderate, in the 20 to 30% range on NSW Government mapping.
Picking metal that will last near the water
BlueScope recommends standard COLORBOND (Classic or Matt) more than 200 m from surf or exposed water, COLORBOND Ultra more than 100 m, and SUPERDURA Stainless at any distance. It measures from the high water mark and says real results depend on prevailing winds and on parts of the roof that rain doesn't wash. Ask the roofer which class they've applied to your address, how far they measured, and to put the exact product on the quote.
Tiles are less fussy. Monier describes both its concrete and terracotta ranges as salt safe, though the flashings, screws and gutters around them are still metal.
Salt builds up where rain can't reach, such as under eaves and around fixings. BlueScope's maintenance advice is to wash those unwashed areas every three months in coastal areas with salt spray. A hose from the ground does the job; nobody needs to go up.
What a Manly roofing quote should spell out
- The full product name for sheeting, flashings and gutters, such as COLORBOND Ultra, not just Colorbond.
- The marine class the roofer used (surf or exposed) and the distance they measured from the high water mark.
- The licence holder's name and number. NSW jobs between $5,000 and $20,000 need a signed small jobs contract that includes both.
- For apartments, who has approved the work: the owners corporation or strata manager, not an individual owner.
- In the town centre or Pittwater Road conservation areas, whether council consent is needed for any change of material.
If it were our Manly roof
We'd choose the product by salt rating and distance first, colour second, and we'd want it written on the quote. If you're in a unit, raise it with strata before anything else. If you own a house and the roof is due for work, tell us the job and your postcode. Where we have a licence-checked roofer covering Manly, we'll pass it to that one roofer; where we don't, we'll tell you so you're not left waiting.
Want a roofer to take a look?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match it with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in that kind of work, and they call you to quote. Your number goes to them alone.